Catalytic heating apparatus.



L. LUMIERE 6L l. HERCK.

CATALYTIC HEATING APPARATUS. APPLlcATloN Hummm-:16,1915

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I 15.5.1125 /n i l l l l l -L 4 I l l s I z l l e i la L. LUMIERE L1. IILRCK.

CATALYTIC' HEATINGA APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED IuNE I6. 1915.

1,202,199. Patented 00L. 24,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.-

LOUIS LUMIRE, OF LYON, JEAN BERCK, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

cA'TALYTIc HEATING ArrAEATt-rs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Application led June 16, 1915. Seria1 No. 34,361.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS LUMIERE and JEAN HERCK, both citizens of the French Republic, residing at, respectively, Lyon and Paris, in France, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Catalytic Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention-is to provide a heat generator wherein gaseous or vaporous fuel is caused to generate heat by combin? `ing with atmospheric air or other oxldlzmg gas, w-ithoutproducing a flame, the action being due to the presence of acatalytic agent such as platinized asbestos or an equivalent porous substance. The use of such substancesis well known in connection with orother vehicles, and the heating of tanks and.

other apparatus in motor cars, air-craft and the like where excessive cooling has to be avoided. The fuel used may be a carbureted gas, or a volatile liquid such as petrol or alcohol.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show four embodiments thereof in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are vertical sections, and Fig. 4 shows the apparatus half in vertical section and half in elevation.

Like references denote like or equivalent p parts throughout the drawings.

Referring in thefirst instance to the construction shown in Fig. l, A designates a container for an absorbent substance B, such as cotton wool, impregnated with volatile upon the container A and supporting a cup H1, into the interior B1 of which the wick extends. Into the upper part of the cup is screwed a ring G forming the wall of a chamber having a perforated floor J, preferably of metal gauze, supporting a mass of platmized asbestos J1, under a perforated cover J2 of metal gauze. The floor J and the cover J2 form dlaphragms through which vapor rlsing from the wick must pass. Upon the ring G is screwed a capV H having air holes K. When the apparatus is not in use a suitable'cover is placed upon the cap, closing the air holes K. The container A has a handle L for carrying the apparatus.

For starting the combustion the cap H is removed, vand a small vquantity of spirit is poured upon the cover J2 and ignited, the cap being then replaced without the air hole cover referred to.

The heat generated by the burning of the spirit 1s communicated to the cup H1 and volatilizes thefuel conveyed to the chamber B1 by the wick E. The vapor ascendsthrough the perforated floor J and the platimzed asbestos J1, the catalytic action of which raises the temperature of the vapor,

so that when it comes into contact with the air, it combines with the oxygen and generates heat, without producing a flame.

-The rate of combustion can be regulated lby turning the wick up or down,as this operation-varies the length of wick exposed in the chamber B1, and the distance between the wick and the hottest part of the appa-- ratus.

In `the modification shown in Fig. 2 the top of the container A1 is conical, and the cup H2 is in the form of an inverted truncated cone with a short cylindrical upward extension, into which the ring G is screwed. The cap H is connected to the ring G by means of a bayonet joint. A. sleeve or casing M having a slot for the handle L stands upon a flange M2 near the bottom of the container A1, and surrounds the greater part of the said container and the chamber containing .the catalytic agent J1. The purpose of this casing is to protect the cup connecting the tube and container from drafts which would be liable to cool the same below the temperature required for eficient vaporization of the fuel.

In the construction shown in Fig. -3 the fuel container consists of an outer cylinder A2, screwed into a .base A3, and an inner cylinder or lining P of heat-insulating macof terial, which reduces to the required degree, the conduction of heat to the fuel by the outermetal wall of the container. No wick is used, the substance impregnated with the fuel being freely exposed at the top to the space below the receptacle ,of the catalytic agent. The cylinder A2 has an upward extension A, which is helically corrugated to form a kind of screw thread. The ring N is similarly corrugated and is screwed into the part A4, so that by turning the ring e the distance O between the fuel and the catfuel and the zone of combustion is increased,

and the temperature of the fuel container is reduced. In thisl instance the bottom'of the container for the catalytic substance consists of av disk o f incombustible substance Q, provided centrally with an opening Q1, thus limiting the active catalyzing surface.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the cover A6 of the container A5 andthe bottom of the vaporizing chamber are conical, as in F ig. 2, the space Z between these two parts being inclosed by an upward extension of the container wall.- This upward extension of the `wall has two circular series of holes K1 and K2, outside which the wall is yembraced by two rotatable rings R, R1 resting upon ribs formed on .the container. The said rings also have holes arranged so that by turning the rings the holes K1, K2 can either be fully exposed or partly or wholly covered. This enables the access of coldair to the space Z to be regulated', for the purposeof regulating the rate of vapor-'ization of the fuel. The vaporization can also be regulated by raising and lowering the Wick E1, preferably an asbestos wick, which is held in a vertically movable tube T having a rack S engaged with the whee1-F1 on a shaft F2. The ring G1, forming the wall of the receptacle for the catalytic agent, is soldered to the cylindrical wall at the top,l under the cover Y,gand has two flanges U, U1. The floor of the said receptacle is formed by a coarse meshed net or grid V and a fine meshed net or grid J 3 resting upon the same, both supported by the flange U. The catalytic agent J1 is covered at the top by a iinemeshed net or grid J 4, with a coarse meshed net V1 flange U1.

Although primarily intended for producing a heating eifect, which is very powerul in proportion to the size of the device, the device may also be used for disinfecting the room which it heats, methylic alcohol or 'other suitable fuel 'being used for that purpose. l

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is Y `1. A heating device comprising in combination a fuel container, a chamber above said container, a neck connecting said fuel' container to said chamber, a vertically adjustable wick holder in said neck, and a catalytic .body in said chamber above said wick holder.

2. A heating device comprising in combination a fuel container, having a top in the form of a truncated cone, a chamber above said lcontainer having a bottom in the form of an inverted truncated cone, a. neck connecting the to'p' of said container to the bottom of said chamber, a vertically adjustable Wick holder in'said neck, a catalytic body in ,said chamber above said wick holder, a cylindrical'v casing having air holes, surrounding ,said conical parts of said fuel container and .said chamber, and means for regulating the aperture of said air'holes.

3. A heating device comprisingin combination afuel container having a top in the form of a truncated cone, achamb'er above said container having a. bottom in the form of an inverted truncated cone, aneck connecting the top of said container to the bottom of said chamber, a vertically adjustable wick holder in said neck, a" holder having a perforated bottom and a perforated top in said chamber, a catalytic body in said holder, a ,cylindrical casing having air holes, surrounding said conical parts of'said fuel container and said chamber, andvmeans for regulating the aperture of s aid air holes.

4. A heating device comprising in combination a fuel container having a top in the form of a truncated'cone, a chamber above said container having a bottomvin the form of an inverted truncated cone, a neck connecting the top of said container to the vbottom of said chamber, a vertically adjustable wick holder inv said neck, a holder having a perforated bottom and a perforated top forming horizontal diaphragme in said chamber above said wick holder, a catalytic body filling the space between said diaphragms, a cylindrical casing having air holes, surrounding said'conical parts of said fuel container and said chambenand means for regulating the aperture of said air holes.

In witness whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS LUMIRE. JEAN HERCK. `Witnesses:

JEAN GERMAIN, MARIN VAcHoN. 

